Mothers to Daughters

Dear Child Q

There are no words to describe how awful I feel about what you had to endure, being strip searched in a place where you should have felt safe. My heart breaks everytime I start to picture how disgusting and unfair some law enforcement officers can be and act towards a child. I praise your courage for standing up for yourself when the school and the police tried to kill your voice and I want to praise your mother's courage for standing up for you — two years she had to fight for you to be  heard. But doesn’t equality mean to give the same treatment for all ? I am shocked by how the justice system could  still , in our day and age , a “woke” era with the BLM movement and all sorts of protests against racism, file your case,  wait for so long to acknowledge it and then insist that the delay had nothing to do with the colour of your skin. 

Your story reached out to so many people, not only because of what was done to you, because you were abused, but also because of how and where this was inflicted on you. The fact that you were in school made matters a lot worse . And the absurdity of this situation  is probably what  drove thousands of people to protest in your name , your classmates to demonstrate in front of your school and  outside the Stoke Newington Police Station. 

Our voices have been silenced for so long, but I say “no more”,  because , when it comes to our children , we will fight to the end so they won’t have  to go through the same things we did. Because , right now , we , people of colour, have had enough . We will not be taken advantage any longer.  Our determination to protect our family members has forged our reputation of standing up for what is right and , when it comes to our children, our strength and power become even stronger. 

Enough of saying “enough is enough”

My dear child, 

I am sorry I was not able to prevent your horrific abuse 

I am sorry you had to endure such a traumatic experience in the hands of the law 

I am sorry that we, people of colour, have such little power in our society , having to fight for justice and  freedom when others  can take them for granted just because of the colour of their skin 

I am sorry that we have had to protest, sign petitions and march for you to be listened to or even acknowledged

I often ask why we have to suffer and fight to be heard,  but what would have been of us and of the world indeed if the likes of Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King Jr hadn’t fought to make their voices heard?  

We mobilise as a necessity and we shall continue to do so , for we will stand up for  you and all of the people of colour who have suffered prejudice in the hands of the law

I just find it a real shame that it takes something so drastic for  us to unify and fight for our rights 

My dear child,

I am asking you to focus on healing and getting stronger

I  wish you didn't have to go through any of that , but i can assure you it is true that “what doesn't kill us makes us stronger”

I understand you didn't ask to become stronger at such a young age and you did not ask to become the face of this cause,  but I want you to know that your strength and your family’s hunger for justice have  brought over a thousand people together in three separate protests,  and that’s all because we stand by you

I know it is not right to have to fight the system to make it accountable for its unfairness and erroneous judgement calls,  but, my dear, your story will help many others  experiencing similar trauma and will likely prevent other stories like yours

My wish for you is that you are able to let go of the anger, for that is  the only way to become free

And I truly hope you get there sooner than later

In the meantime , from the shadows , we will move mountains  for you, my child 

I am sorry the police sat on your file for over two years 

The fact that they think this is acceptable is beyond me

Oh , but  black children are more resilient, they say

There is no racism in the police , they say

We are investigating thoroughly those police officers who strip searched her , they say

 What if it was the contrary?  I say

 What if two  black officers had strip searched a white child ? Would  we have seen the same outcome? I say

Ndey Gassama